Brother M343D Overlocker

I'm not an expert sewer. Had experience with hand and machine sewing but never an overlocker. Never even seen one until sewing bee was on the telly! I'm an early retired bloke with time in his hands and a total amateur, green, newbie sewer. I've researched this machine on YouTube before purchasing. They are not cheap and this seemed like a good entry level machine that works. And it does. A good YouTube channel I watched was Abi's Den. She uses this and I learned a lot so do research before purchasing. A lot of people, from comments I've read is they are put off and even scared to use it as it seems too complicated. Yeah, it is intimidating at first but just spend some time just studying the machine with the door open. Then, follow a video guide and mine came ore threaded from the factory with their test piece still in situ so you can see what they did. I took 2 pictures of what I made in about 2 minutes. These are just practice pieces. Just a rough quilt square and a small pocket using pre cut fabric squares. As it overlocks it cuts or trims the seam so it's properly neat and tidy and strong. When threading, it is not difficult as the instructions are printed on the inside door. Threading is easier if you use the supplied tweezers. My hands are big! Tweezers are not! The quality, to my newbie eyes is great. I haven't changed any factory settings but you can alter the feed dogs, stitch width, foot pedal etc. The machine itself has a smaller than anticipated footprint and comes with a cover. I have no difficulty recommending this overlocker to fellow newbie sewers. Very happy.

Very happy with this purchase. It arrived well packaged with DVD and manual. No thread, except a few lengths which are prethreaded for demonstration. After studying the instructions it was not too difficult to set up. I was delighted to have it threaded from scratch and working within half an hour or so. Not bad for a first go. I can now change threads in 5 minutes. Hurray. Obviously it takes a little investment of time and effort if you haven't used an overlocker before which I hadn't but I was pleasantly surprised how straightforward it was to thread having been a bit intimidated by overlockers generally! The coloured threading guides are a big help as is the manual booklet. The lower looper is the trickiest bit to thread but has an ingenious sliding lever which makes it much easier. It took a few practice goes to get the hang of but I was soon overlocking confidently on fabric ranging from thin cotton to thicker corduroy and trouser fabric and I'm pleased with the results so far. Stitching looks neat and professional. I don't find it too noisy at all but I sew in a room away from the family. Slightly noisier than my sewing machine but not a bother to me. It may be a basic model and there are more expensive ones with more features but this one does what I want to do with no fuss or problem Glad I bought it.

This is my second surgery. The first one I bought was a nightmare to thread so I wanted one that was much easier and this is it. I was up and running straight off the bat and very pleased with the speed and the weight. I did hope that there would be a blind hem foot in the box, but I will get one sometime in the future.

Great item , easy to use

I have never used an overlocker before but have wanted one for some time. This machine is perfect for my needs. I found it easy to use right out of the box and easy to thread, which was a pleasant surprise! It did come ready threaded but I snapped one of the threads while I was pulling the new threads through. The user manual is great and really easy to follow but if you do get stuck, Abi's Den on YouTube has the same model and she has a great step by step video of how to thread the machine from scratch. I have used it on lots of different thicknesses of fabric and the stitch has been perfect. Also you don't have to purchase the big cones of thread as the stand will hold both cones and smaller spools of thread, so you can use what you already have. All in all a really good overlocker for the money. I have had mine for over a month now and it is perfect for dressmaking.

I returned the item and am trying a replacement...it arrived with the test overlock sew patch you get that showed there was a thread jam...and the threading itself was jammed...looped twice around the lower looper arm, which cause a looping over the lower loop giving five or six threads sowing....so it was a reject item or a badly reconditioned item. It sewed ok ...the threading was super easy..i did it do many times to try getting rid of the double looping when itnstarted tonsow....but the fabric jammed into the tread every time because of the extra looping which meant the sewing was wrecked trying to free the fabric and so I gave up trying to find a sweet spot for the the tension and rethreading.... in case that was the cause....when i decided to change the needles in case that helped and i couldnt for love of money remove the left needle...even with pliers!.... i gave up. Sent it in for replacement....lets see.... I am beginning to suspect Amazon is now selling faulty, rejected or reconditioned items. Then you have to lug them back to the post office to return them.....oh...and amazon got me to buy a four year maintenance....but it comes with a 3 year manufacturer guarantee!! So does Brother drag their feet repairing unless you have bought a maintenance insurance policy to rev them up? I will wait for my replacement and see if this is also a dud and in fact Amazon is selling duds. Two days later....It was replaced and the replacement works like magic. It chains before and after just as its supposed to. Dreadful LED light. Yes it is basic, yes it is easy to thread, yes it does its job. Yes it was a great bargain!

When I decided to take my garment-making to the next level, I spent a long time reviewing overlockers. After careful consideration, I opted for the Brother M343D Overlocker, and I can confidently say that it has exceeded my expectations in every way. Initially, I was apprehensive about using an overlocker due to its reputation for complexity, especially with the intimidating knife. However, my worries quickly vanished as I discovered how user-friendly and hassle-free this machine truly is. Threading the Brother M343D proved to be a straightforward process, thanks to a YouTube tutorial for the initial threading. My subsequent rethreading attempts were equally effortless, even without any instructional assistance. The machine's design and intuitive threading mechanism truly made the process a breeze. I've pushed the boundaries of the Brother M343D by experimenting with various fabric types, and it has handled each one with ease. From delicate silks to sturdy denims, the overlocker consistently delivered impeccable results, ensuring my creations were of the highest quality. While my experience with the Brother M343D Overlocker has been overwhelmingly positive, I encountered a minor setback when it came to oiling the machine. The manual lacked specific instructions on where to apply the oil, prompting me to search for a tutorial online. Nonetheless, once I located the necessary information, it was a minor inconvenience that did not detract from the overall satisfaction I derived from using the machine. For all beginners I strongly suggest taking photos of the how the Machine looks when it arrives. When you go to change needles or need to remember what the default settings were the photos are a great help.

I was hesitant about whether I “needed” an overlocker as well as my sewing machine as I’d read about how hard they are to get used to and that threading them is difficult. I’m SO glad I purchased this...I’ve just completed a tunic dress which took half the time it would on the sewing machine...as the seams are finished perfectly (no need to trim or do French seams for neatness). Threading took a little while to get to grips with but there are excellent tutorials on YouTube to help with this. The machine is a little noisy and “clunky” sounding, but I believe that’s normal for an overlocker. It’s very easy to use and I love that it trims the fabric as you sew. I just wish it came with a couple of extra feet as it only came with the basic foot. Also would be very handy to include some machine oil...luckily I had my sewing machine oil....as it should be oiled prior to first use. As a beginner with an overlocker I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this one.